Population Density, Fertility, Prosperity and Poverty
Many believe that rapid population increase will not bring poverty to countries with few people per sqk.
My letter in The Times elicited an e-mail along this line. Here is part of my reply.
Population per SqK |
Total Fertility Rate |
GDP per capita (ppp$) |
||
| Somalia | 13 | 6.84 | Poverty and violence | 500 |
| Norway | 14 | 1.78 | Prosperity | 37,700 |
| Zambia | 15 | 5.47 | Poverty | 800 |
| New Zealand | 15 | 1.79 | Prosperity | 21,600 |
| DR Congo | 26 | 6.54 | Poverty and war | 600 |
| Brazil | 22 | 1.93 | Becoming prosperous | 7,600 |
| Tanzania | 39 | 5.06 | Poverty | 600 |
| Iran | 41 | 1.82 | Prosperity on its way | 7,000 |
| Kenya | 58 | 4.96 | Poverty | 1,000 |
| Ireland | 57 | 1.87 | Prosperity | 29,800 |
| Sierra Leone | 84 | 5.72 | Poverty (and violence) | 500 |
| Greece | 81 | 1.33 | Prosperity | 19,900 |
| Uganda | 116 | 6.74 | Poverty and violence | 1,400 |
| Portugal | 114 | 1.47 | Prosperity | 18,000 |
| Nigeria | 139 | 5.53 | Poverty despite $billions from oil | 800 |
| China | 136 | 1.72 | Becoming prosperous | 5000 |
| Pakistan | 202 | 4.14 | Poverty | 2,100 |
| Italy | 193 | 1.28 | Prosperity | 26,800 |
| Burundi | 229 | 5.81 | Poverty and violence | 600 |
| Germany | 231 | 1.39 | Prosperity | 27,600 |
| Philippines | 293 | 3.16 | Much poverty | 4,600 |
| UK | 243 | 1.66 | Prosperity | 27,700 |
| Rwanda | 320 | 5.49 | Poverty and violence | 1,300 |
| Vietnam | 253 | 1.94 | Coming out of poverty rapidly | 2,500 |
| Comoros | 309 | 5.09 | Poverty (Islands off Africa) | 700 |
| Mauritius | 603 | 1.96 | Prosperity (Island off Africa) | 11,400 |
| Gaza Strip | 3823 | 5.91 | Poverty despite huge aid inflows | 600 |
| Hong Kong | 6317 | 0.91 | Prosperity | 28,700 |
(TFR = Children born per woman)
Figures courtesy of CIA (World Fact Book 2004) - and US Bureau of the Census
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